GOD HAS NO PHYSICAL BODY SO HE DOESN’T NEED TO SLEEP OR EAT.

When you read that God “rests” it simply means He has stopped doing something.  God never getstired or weary (Isaiah 40:28). He never closes His eyes: “…He is always watching, never sleeping” (Psalm 121: 3-4).  We need to sleep, but when we do God is doing something for us, always ministering to us, even while we slumber (Psalm 127:2).

AN ANGELIC VISITATION I EXPERIENCED

  I’m always reluctant to share experiences with angels because I don’t want people thinking I’m obsessed with the supernatural. I don’t seek ‘experiences’ yet I constantly have them.  In the early 80’s (while pastoring in Wisconsin), I was awakened by an angel standing in my bedroom.  Knowing 2 Cor. 11:14, I pleaded the blood of Jesus, (even though I was already convinced this was God’s angel) since he had visited me before.  He said: “Someone lied to you, and you have believed this lie for many years.”   Then I saw a vision of my father screaming at me when I was about 12 years old.  My father said, “You will never be anything, you will always be a bum.”  The angel said “You must forgive him.  He loved you, but did not know how to show it, nor understand the damage those words would cause you.”  I had blocked that memory out of my mind. I forgave my father and I felt a huge weight lifted off of me. The angel said, “You are not a failure.  Go forth knowing you will succeed.” I loved my dad and I know he loved me, but showing affection was very difficult for him when he was a young father.  Then the angel disappeared. Some of the other things the angel showed me:

AS YOU SLEEP, GOD DOES YOUR WORRYING.   

  Bishop William Quayle, awake at night because of worry, heard God say to him, “Quayle, you go to bed; I’ll sit up the rest of the night.”   Of course, God never worries, but He is very concerned about you.  If you knew how concerned He is about you, you would never worry again (Philippians 4:6).  “How precious it is, Lord, to realize that You are thinking about me constantly.” (Psalm 139:17)  Some of you occasionally worry about your children. Your Father is thinking about you every moment of the day.  When you lay your head down at night He continues to have thoughts about you.   He never stops thinking about you.  Psalm 40:5 says, "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Imagine how precious you are to God! Many think sleep is a waste of time, not God.  He utilizes it for your good.

AS YOU SLEEP, GOD IS PLANNING EACH STEP OF YOUR FUTURE. 

 God did not haphazardly put you here on this earth without a plan (Proverbs 3:6). He has a future for you.  He didn’t just save you and then throw you into some strange predicament and say, “Good luck, I hope you make it.” You were not just accidently dropped here due to some cosmic misunderstanding.  You are here on purpose.  “I know the plans I have for you; they are plans for good, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).  I was amazed when he said, “many of God’s children do not ask the Father what His plans are for them…if they did, He would tell them” (Psalm 48:14; Matthew 7: 7-11).  Ask Him to show His plans for you (Jer. 33:3). He’s waiting and longs to hear from you.

AS CHRISTIANS SLEEP, GOD IS STRAIGHTENING THEIR CROOKED PATHS.

 Some of you are experiencing crooked, confusing paths (mentally & circumstantially).  Often, these are simply indicators of God saying “You are meant to learn something here” (Romans 8:28).  Some people see every problem or bump in the road as evil or bad.  Although it is true that we have an adversary (1 Peter 5:8) it is also true that many blame the devil for things he never did. God is constantly working the character of His son in us (Galatians 4: 19) and often uses uncomfortable circumstances to accomplish it. What you see as obstacles, God sees as opportunities to bring you closer to Him (Psalm 119:67).  God never takes short cuts and He is never in a hurry. Each night while you are innocently snoozing, He is lovingly calculating new ways to make your paths straight (Hebrews 12: 12-13). 

MANY WEARY SAINTS WILL BE AWAKENED BY ANGELS…BE READY. 

Your heavenly Father has an interesting habit of waking up His children in the middle of the night.   An angel struck Peter on the side to awaken him and deliver him from prison (Acts 12: 5-10).  Sometimes God will awaken you so He can have your complete attention.  An angel never comes ‘just to drop in’ or because he happened ‘to be in the neighborhood.’  There is always a purpose. Many are going to be awakened by God while they sleep to be ministered to and delivered from past hurts or given wisdom and direction.  Be expectant and prepared for a visitation.   Before you go to bed, pray say, “God, I give you permission to awaken me at anytime during this evening.”  He knows exactly where you live (Acts 17:26) and He knows what time zone you are in.  You know, He’s pretty smart.

                 “…YE SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN, AND THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING…”   John 1:51